UC Brower

If you're a typical smartphone user, chances are you already have a bunch of apps on your handset, and you're probably quick to download any new app that piques your interest as soon as you hear about it.

For most smartphone users, a mobile browser that's straightforward and easy to use is by far the most important app on their hand-held devices. The tech industry has clearly taken note of this, and more companies are seeking a foothold in the marketplace for mobile browsers.

It's not an exaggeration to say that the Web browser war has become white-hot in the Chinese market in particular, which is currently the world's largest smartphone market.

The number of active users of third-party mobile browsers in China's market hit 211 million during the fourth quarter of last year, an increase of 19.3 percent over the previous quarter, according to the latest figures from Beijing-based research firm Analysys International.

With growth rates at this level, it's no wonder that companies are champing at the bit to get a bigger chunk of this enormous market.

There are already some familiar names in the market, such as UC Mobile and Tencent's QQ Browser, that have already established a firm foothold in China. However, the fast pace in this marketplace means that a company's position is never guaranteed.

China's huge smartphone market offers business opportunities that everyone wants to get in on, resulting in intensified competition. Baidu, the largest Chinese language search engine, now has its own mobile browser for Android phones and Windows Phone devices. Huawei, the country's biggest maker of phone equipment, also has a proprietary mobile browser for Android gadgets and the iPhone. China Unicom, the nation's second-largest telecom operator after China Mobile, has also recently launched its own mobile Web browser for iPhone and Android phones.

So it comes as no surprise that since last year, Opera, the world's most popular mobile Internet browser, has been actively hyping Oupeng (), its new mobile browser for Chinese consumers, aiming to score a mobile win in the burgeoning Chinese market.

In February, search giant Google caused a stir when it tapped into the scene with its Web browser, Chrome, further heightening market nervousness. Google Chrome, previously for computers only, has now become available for mobile gadgets running on the latest Android 4.0 operating system, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich. Although the usage of Chrome for Android may remain limited for the moment, as quite a few gadgets available in the market have not been upgraded to the Ice Cream Sandwich system, the market is already bubbling with anticipation about Chrome moving to the mobile arena.

A fiercer war appears to be unavoidable in the mobile browser field this year, and the response from average users will determine the fate of the many mobile Web browsers vying for a piece of the pie.

This week's TECH page introduces several popular mobile browsers in the Chinese market. Is your preferred Web app among them?

 

QQ Browser

QQ Browser, developed by Tencent, operator of the country's largest instant messaging platform, has also seen rapid growth in market penetration.

Although doubts remain over QQ Browser's ability to beat out UC Browser in terms of market share, according to some market research agencies, it has already turned out to be one of the favorite mobile Web browsers among many users. This app offers an enriched user experience with a private browsing mode that protects user privacy, an eye protection mode, and a choice of multiple skin types.

QQ Browser is available in the iOS, Android and Windows Phone platforms. Its latest 3.0 version for the iPhone sports Cloud Translation function capable of real-time translation.

Google Chrome for Android

Google Chrome made quite a splash this week, with analytics firm StatCounter saying in a report on March 21 that Chrome overtook Microsoft's Internet Explorer to be the No.1 Web browser for the first time on March 18, although the lead only lasted one day. Such a milestone shows how formidable Chrome is, as it was only launched by Google in 2008.

But can Chrome also make a name for itself on the mobile Web battlefield following the announcement of the beta version of Chrome for Android in February? We will have to wait for the answer.

Opera Mobile

Opera Mobile, developed by Opera Software Company, is hardly an unfamiliar name in the mobile browsing world.

Offering many of the same features that can be found in the Opera version for PCs, it has also gained a foothold in the Chinese market. Aiming for a bigger slice of the Chinese market, Opera launched its specialized version for the Chinese market, called Oupeng, in August last year.

Oupeng is the Chinese version of Opera Mini, another popular mobile Web browser from Opera, boasting highly optimized functions for Web browsing via handsets. The latest Oupeng 6.5 was released in December, which sports the HTML5 experience.

UC Browser

UC Browser, developed by UCWeb, is one of the main priorities for many Chinese handset users, with many users vowing loyalty to the brand.

Boasting more than 300 million users and over 100 billion page views per month, UC Browser is now available in major operating systems including iOS, Android and Windows Phone. Its latest version, UC Browser 8.3, announced on March 14, features website access, app downloads, and network transmission as well as security risk prevention via public Wi-Fi access.

The crowded domestic Chinese market has also prompted the company to look for opportunities overseas. In addition to an English version available for download, UC Web plans to launch a browser for the US this summer, the company's chief executive revealed earlier this month.